Top Stories
Stories in Viva that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
That Bloody Ride
As part of James & Oneg’s Summer Writing Challenge Extravaganza, we present to you the Awkward Elevator Challenge! The challenge is to write about a time you did something embarrassing (or make it up), and the person that saw it happen, suddenly gets in an elevator with you shortly after. There is no time or word count limit. And remember, make sure you tag some folks to participate, and share the original challenge post linked above in your entries.
Oneg In The ArcticPublished 9 months ago in VivaMiniature Mind Musings #5
Content Warning: Mention made of bodily excretions and female anatomy (but conflicted if I even need this warning flag?) ***
The Dani WriterPublished 9 months ago in VivaWell, MY Breasts Aren't Complaining
I had an ‘a-ha!’ moment recently. Getting dressed in the cold and dark Michigan morning, contemplating my life’s mistakes and thinking about the possible lack of coffee creamer that awaited me… I looked down at my right hand and… noticed something.
Judey KalchikPublished 9 months ago in VivaCurls Unleashed: My Journey of Overcoming Hair Insecurities and Embracing Self-Acceptance
My hair care journey has not been an easy one. My entire life, my frizzy, curly hair has been one of the main stars of my insecurities. It was either too thick, too frizzy, too thin at one point (due to health issues), or too dry. This led me on an 8-year curly hair and body acceptance journey. Today, I am bringing you along on my raw and honest journey to hair and body acceptance.
Jaci GonzalesPublished 11 months ago in VivaLoving, Sensual, and Free: Viva and Feminist Magazines Through the Years
Viva's launch in 1973 added a new perspective to the conversation between women's magazines, which at the time consisted of the Ms. Magazine camp, offering feminist news and writing, fashion magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, or traditional but still popular publications such as Good Housekeeping. Viva joined elements of these magazines with erotic content, refusing to shy away from sex and controversy. Associate Publisher and Editor Kathy Keeton explained "Viva's Woman" in her First Word section for the August 1974 issue, explaining who the modern reader of Viva was. The inclusion of antiquated delineations between the "feminist" and the "traditional housewife," as well as a decidedly heteronormative stance, shows how Viva very much represented social currents of its time. This offers the perfect jumping off point to learn about other feminist movements through magazines thanks to ChatGPT, and to begin to theorize about what the future of the feminist magazine would look like.
CHARISMA
As you know, people come and go through our lives staying and departing at various lengths of time. While it might be minutes, an hour, a few days, several weeks, many months, and more years than you can remember, it's amazing how the right person shows up at the right time. Be it a helper, a questioner, a supporter, an encourager, an accidental teacher, a believer, and more, they open our eyes and influence our actions and reactions.
Babs IversonPublished 12 months ago in VivaCreating a Portal to the Past - Databasing the OG Collection
Archivists work to make unpublished materials accessible. Through the archival process records become available for research, handwritten notes can be used as tools for learning, and concept sketches lead to artistic inspiration. Large organizations are able to pair these never-before-seen materials with their library catalog, using finding aids with search terms that allow users to discover collections alongside relevant titles, searching by keywords, year, and author.
OG CollectionPublished about a year ago in VivaWomen in the Media, Then and Now
No matter the cutting-edge journalism and pop cultural coverage, Penthouse will always be best known for pictorials of nude women. Likewise, Guccione first and foremost was a purveyor of such images, and it is important to remember in his crusade against censorship he was ultimately fighting to keep up his own magazine sales.
OG CollectionPublished about a year ago in VivaIs It About Health or Beauty?
Coming around my side of the desk, he reached and took my hand in his. Glancing down, I saw the telltale stocking feet. Pulling free, I turned for the door, but even more quickly he reached back over the edge of his desk and flicked a switch I had learned from Colby was a remote door-locking device. I was trapped. Like the cartoon of wolf and piglet, once again we circled and reversed directions around his furniture. Blessed with the agility of a young dancer and confronted by an amorous but overweight producer, I had little difficulty avoiding passionate clumsiness. -Shirley Temple (Source: https://www.ranker.com/list/tragic-shirley-temple-stories/rob-chirico
Emily Marie ConcannonPublished about a year ago in VivaMosquitos Don't Care, Why Do You?
The perfect imperfections that make you...you(thank you John Legend) The birth defects you had when the light of the world first hit your eyes
Paul StewartPublished about a year ago in VivaThe Lifechanging Art of Tidying....Me
Because nine Facebook pages, a weekly blog, and writing for both Vocal and Medium aren’t enough non-work-related typing for me, I also write book reviews.
Judey KalchikPublished about a year ago in VivaLucky Number 13
It’s all Gerard’s fault. He planted the seed: About a year ago, he sent us a picture of himself after having completed the 1998 Dublin Marathon. I sent a text message to Victoria saying that “we should keep this event in mind for some day”. Almost immediately, she replied with “How about next year?”
Shelley CarrollPublished about a year ago in Viva